A TERRIFYING incident which led to police officers fearing for their lives was blamed on a student prank yesterday.

A court heard how two police-women and a policeman were sent to investigate reports of shooting in a field at Buckley in the early hours of the morning.

The two women officers were said to be trembling with fear after they were told by their control room to enter the field, where they had heard men?s voices and where shots had been heard.

It was alleged by the prosecution that the man using the gun turned and pointed the weapon at the officers.

That was denied by the defence, who said that the youngster had not deliberately pointed the air pistol at anyone.

It turned out that the men were drunk, had been at an all-night party to celebrate the end of the university term, and had taken the airgun to fire at bottles in the field.

Adam James Bostock, 21, who has a law degree; his economics student brother Jack Winston Bostock, 19, both of Farthings, Nant Mawr Road, Buckley, and electrician Martin Joseph Burton, 21, of Laurel Drive, Buckley, each admitted possessing a load firearm in a public place.

Flintshire magistrates sitting in Mold gave each a 12-month conditional discharge.

But they were each ordered to pay #70 to each of the three officers involved because of the trauma they had suffered, with #55 prosecution costs.

Magistrates ordered the destruction of the .22 Magnum air pistol and the pellets.

It was alleged that one of the officers had the gun pointed at her for about five seconds.

?I really cannot find the words to describe how terrified I was,? she said.

She managed to drum up the courage to shout and told the man to throw the gun down and for all three to come forward with their hands above their heads.